Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors H. Davies and H. Shepardson.

2.

DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTERESTS

Minutes:

Councillor

Minute Number

Nature of Interest

S. Matthews

5 – Housing Revenue Account Budget and Housing Rent Setting for 2018/19

Resident in Council Sheltered Housing

 

3.

DECLARATION OF PROHIBITED PARTY WHIPS

Minutes:

There were no declarations of prohibited party whips.

4.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS (NONE RECEIVED)

Minutes:

No public questions had been received.

5.

HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT BUDGET AND HOUSING RENT SETTING FOR 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 179 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget and Housing Rent Setting for 2018/19, being presented as part of the budget consultation process and brought together the latest proposals contained in the revenue and capital budgets for the Housing Revenue Account 2018/19 to be presented to the Executive Board and Council for determination.

 

The Director of Corporate Services advised that the report had been prepared reflecting the latest proposals contained within the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan, being the primary financial planning tool for delivering the Carmarthenshire Homes Standard Plus (CHS+) for the future. The proposed investment within the current business plan delivered the CHS by 2015 (to those homes where the tenants agreed to have work undertaken) provided investment to maintain CHS+ and continued investment for the Authority’s Affordable Homes Commitment. 

 

The Director of Corporate Services reminded the Committee that with regard to the setting of the Housing Rents, the Authority had previously adopted the Welsh Government’s Social Housing Rent Harmonisation Policy with the aim of progressing to the mid-point target rent. For 2018/19, the Welsh Government had notified local authorities that the increase in target rent would be the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 3% plus 1.5% totalling 4.5%, and for those below the target rent, a maximum of £2 per week increase would be applied until the target rent was reached, equating to an average increase of 5.49% for the Council’s tenants. However, whilst that policy had not changed, the Welsh Government had taken the unusual step of informing local authorities that due to a relatively high CPI of 3%, they may wish to consider using a lower option for 2018/19.

 

Having regard to the Welsh Government’s indication, and recognising the squeeze on household budgets as wage increases had not kept pace with rising price inflation, it was being proposed that the Council’s rent increase for 2018/19 be minimised as far as possible, utilising the flexibility outlined by the Welsh Government, whilst still complying with its policy target rent band. If the Council was to endorse that proposal, it would result in its rent being set at the lowest allowable level representing a 3.5% increase for all tenants, with a reduced maximum progression of £1.62, producing an average rent of £85.27 representing anincrease of 4.34% or £3.55.

 

The Director of Corporate Services advised that if the Committee was minded to endorse the report’s recommendations to the Executive Board and Council, it should note that unlike in previous years when rents for garage / garage bases had been increased, the current budget strategy did not include any proposals for their increase in 2018/19.

 

The following issues were raised in relation to the report:-

·        Clarification was sought on whether proposed 3.5% average increase for all tenants, with some paying in excess of that, could result in the lowest paid facing the higher payments.

 

The Director of Corporate Services advised there was no correlation between the two and the proposed increase was not linked to affordability.

·        In response  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

THE CARMARTHENSHIRE HOMES STANDARD PLUS (CHS+) BUSINESS PLAN 2018-21 pdf icon PDF 245 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received for consideration the Carmarthenshire Homes Standards Plus (CHS+) Business Plan 2018-21 the purpose of which was threefold. Firstly, it explained the vision and detail of the CHS+ over the next three years and what it meant for tenants. Secondly, it confirmed the financial profile, based on current assumptions for delivery of the CHS+ over the next three years and, thirdly, produced a business plan for the annual application to the Welsh Government for Major Repairs Allowance (MRA) for 2018/19 equating to £6.1m.

 

The Following questions/issues were raised on the report:

·        Clarification was sought on the level of support to be provided to tenants under the following bullet point “Focus on providing more advice and support to tenants in managing their monthly budgets. We will deliver a range of support and services to help tenants cope with the cultural change of Universal Credit, and mitigate the impact as much as we are able”.

 

The Head of Homes and Safer Communities reminded the Committee that the Council had recognised the possibility some of its tenants could, over the next 18 months, face financial difficulties as a consequence of the introduction of Universal Credit. As a result, measures had been introduced to try to mitigate its impact on tenants which included for example:

 

-        working with the benefits agency and the Council’s benefits team to target those tenants having the biggest potential to suffer financial difficulty.

-        Introduction of pre-tenancy discussions to ensure prospective tenants were prepared for taking on a tenancy

-        Adoption of a Universal Credit Action Plan

-        Investment in software to identify and target those tenants most at risk and to provide them with appropriate levels of assistance.

 

The Head of Homes and Safer Communities advised that whilst the Council had recognised and introduced various measures to help tenants affected by Universal Credit, one area beyond its control was the approach the private sector may adopt with the possibility some landlords may not accept tenants in receipt of universal credit. One potential area to combat that was the possibility of the Council managing private sector homes on behalf of landlords.

 

The Council had also reflected the above concerns within the Business Plan.

 

·        Reference was made to the statement within the report of the proposed establishment of the local housing company to deliver a mix of new affordable homes for sale or rent. Clarification was sought on that statement which conflicted with existing council policy of not selling council homes.

 

The Head of Homes and Safer Communities confirmed the council’s policy prevented the sale of any of its current 9,000+ properties, and that had not changed. The above statement referred to the establishment of the local housing company as a vehicle to facilitate the construction of good quality housing within Carmarthenshire via a variety of means/tenure to enable local people to access the housing ladder and could, for example, include homes for sale, rent, sharehold, leasehold and rent to buy.

 

The Head of Homes and Safer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

WELSH PUBLIC LIBRARY STANDARDS 2017 pdf icon PDF 142 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report on the Carmarthenshire Library Service’s Annual Assessment 2016/17. It was noted that the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 placed a Statutory Duty on all Public Library Authorities ‘to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service’ and on Welsh Ministers ‘to superintend and promote the improvement’ of public library services in Wales. In accordance with that requirement, the Welsh Government had completed its assessment of Carmarthenshire’s Library Services Annual Return for 2016/17 with Carmarthenshire meeting all 18 core entitlements in full. Additionally, of the seven quality indicators which had targets, Carmarthenshire had achieved six in full with one having been partially met. That related to staffing levels as at the 31st March 2017 where the service had 5 vacancies within its establishment, however, those were being addressed.

 

The following issues were raised during consideration of the report:-

 

·        In response to a statement made relating to issues surrounding the introduction of the new mobile library fleet, the Senior Cultural Services Manager advised that the service was bedding in following the fleet’s introduction. A review was currently being undertaken on its operation with a view to introducing appropriate amendments which, could include the frequency of visits to various communities and the siting of the vehicles to achieve the best broadband service.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.

8.

STAFF SICKNESS LEVELS pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to minute 8 of its meeting held on the 5th October, 2017 the Committee received the minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on the 6th December relating to its concerns on the reported increase in staff sickness levels within the Authority. Those minutes also recorded that that Committee, at the same meeting, had considered a report on sickness management detailing sickness absence figures for the 2nd quarter together along with benchmarking and performance ranking tables and a breakdown of the key causes for absence.

 

The Head of Leisure confirmed that managers were regularly challenged on how they managed sickness levels and the increased costs associated therewith, which included working closely with the Council’s Human Resources Division.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.

9.

FORTHCOMING ITEMS pdf icon PDF 69 KB

Minutes:

The Committee received a list of forthcoming items to be considered at its next meeting to be held on the 29th March, 2018. Reference was made to the Head of Homes and Safer Communities earlier comments in Minute 6 on the adoption by the Authority of a Universal Credit Action Plan and a suggestion made that a copy thereof be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items for the meeting of the Committee to be held on the 29th March 2018 be received subject to the inclusion of the Universal Credit Action Plan.

 

10.

EXPLANATION FOR NON-SUBMISSION OF SCRUTINY REPORT pdf icon PDF 66 KB

Minutes:

The Committee considered the explanations provided for the non-submission of two reports.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the non-submission report be received.

11.

MINUTES - 24TH NOVEMBER, 2017 pdf icon PDF 347 KB

Minutes:

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 24th November, 2017 be signed as a correct record.

12.

MINUTES - 14TH DECEMBER, 2017 pdf icon PDF 270 KB

Minutes:

Reference was made to Minute 7 of the above meeting relating to the Chief Executive’s Departmental Business Plan 2018/19 – 2021 and to the Director of Regeneration and Policy’s statement on the promotion of the Welsh Language on development sites. A view was expressed that the minute should be expanded upon by incorporating the additional paragraph

 

‘The Director acknowledged that Carmarthenshire County Council could do more to encouraging private sector to become bilingual and reflect the language of the county and she was committed to ensuring all departments collaborated closely and worked with external organisations to promote and increase the use of Welsh Language within Carmarthenshire’s private sector’.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 14th December, 2017 be signed as a correct record subject to the above amendment.

 

 

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